And then I'll ruin it all by saying something stupid (like I love you)
by Len.chan
Summary: Maggie gets to know the flirty side of Alex Danvers and realizes that, maybe, she's being an idiot.


Maggie sits at the bar half an hour earlier than her usual time, nursing a beer, and equally excited and anxious. Even if it had been Alex the one to suggest the pool last night, she can't get out of her head the stoic face on the agent's face before she closed the door behind her.

She knew that it was going to be hard for Alex, and awkward, and uncomfortable, and Maggie has a whole new level of respect for a woman who has been able to come to terms with her feelings and own them in a matter of days. Not many people are brave enough to kiss without hesitation the person that made you question your sexuality.

 _And God damnit, that was a hell of a kiss._

It would be a monumental lie to say that she didn't feel anything that night, that Alex kissing her like that hadn't shaken her whole world. But Maggie would stand behind what she said. It wasn't the right time, and the only way she could have Alex in her life right now was as a friend.

She might have expressed her point in a more grandiose and romantic way that she intended, but she knows that Alex understood. Tonight was an olive branch, a new start.

Judging by Alex's soft ' _hey'_ and her timid smile when she arrives, it's a _good_ start.

* * *

It's been almost two weeks since this new Danvers & Sawyer dynamic started, or how Maggie likes to call it in her head, The Rebirth.

The first couple of times they've got together after the talk at Kara's had been awkward, but after a few nights at the bar and a couple of shared cases, things seems to start getting better. They never mention The Kiss or anything else that happened after, it's still something lingering painfully between them, but Alex's smiles are wider now, more real, and she doesn't cringe anymore when Maggie touches her.

Baby steps.

She also has to take those with Kara. It seems that a friendship with Alex comes with a lot of baggage, including an overprotective space dad, two close friends that are almost like brothers, and a sister that is capable of scaring you to death while looking like a damn puppy. Maggie still doesn't understand how is that possible, but the look on Kara's face the first time they met was murderous enough to understand that if you mess with Alex Danvers' heart, not even Supergirl would save you from her little sister's rage.

That's why she is a bit uncomfortable right now. Tonight Alex has decided that it was time for Maggie to join the group. It's just some drinks after work at the bar, nothing out of the ordinary or too significant, like getting invited to one of those game nights that Alex always talks about, but if feels huge nonetheless.

James is being warm and open. Winn is all smiles and an actual puppy, and is making them laugh with stupid stories about incompetent hackers and media gossip. She could actually be enjoying the night if it wasn't for Kara's icy stare across the table.

"Kara…" Maggie hears the disapproving tone in Alex's voice, "Stop it with the heat vision, okay?"

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Yes, you know, and as your sister I appreciate the concern, but I'm fine and Maggie doesn't deserve it."

The younger Danvers pouts, but seems to accept her sister's wishes and relaxes a little after that. Meanwhile, Maggie has to battle with herself and starts repeating in her head how much bossy Alex Danvers _doesn't_ turn her on.

"I'm going for another beer. Do you guys want anything?" Winn and James ask for another round as well and then Alex stands. She turns to look at her and places a hand on Maggie's arm, "You?"

"I'm okay," She replies signalling her still half full bottle.

"Be right back."

While Alex is gone, she decides to try a peaceful approach and asks Kara about her work as a reporter. That seems to ignite something in the girl, because she starts talking about her boss and how much she misses Cat Grant and her ridiculous daily requests, which James takes as a cue to tell them about an extensive and detailed email from the CEO that he received a few days ago, wanting to know how he was holding her empire and how was Kara doing with her new job.

There's a smile in Kara's face while James is talking, until Maggie sees a slight frown cross the girl's features for a hot second. It doesn't last because, suddenly, Kara chuckles and turns to look at the bar, where her sister is talking to someone.

A very attractive, very female, someone.

She recalls seeing the woman before a few times. Blonde, tall, usually with a couple of equally attractive friends at her side, that his time are actually watching from afar. They were always pretty quiet, so Maggie has never paid much attention to them.

"She's pretty," Kara says.

"I'd never have thought that _that_ was your sister's type."

"You know it's not," She replies with her eyes still on the bar, her words ice cold and laced with resentment, "But Alex has always loved the flirting stage, she's _so good_ at it, and it's about time that she has some fun."

Maggie wonders for a moment how the blabbering mess that is Alex Danvers sometimes could be the same person that Kara is talking about, but then she watches Alex delicate fingers tracing the collar of the woman's shirt, with a smirk in her lips and a glimpse of something else in her eyes, and Maggie understands what Kara is talking about.

Alex returns to their table five minutes later with a grin on her face.

"So… got her number?" Kara asks nonchalantly.

"What I've got is a proposition for a foursome with very attractive females of an alien species that I've never heard about," Alex answer prompts a collective gasp in the group, "Proposition that I kindly declined."

"Not that I'm not impressed," Said Winn grinning like a fool, "But who would suggest something like that in the middle of a bar?"

"Apparently, in their world, is customary to make such an offer when they found someone worthy of bonding with them, and she said they've been watching me for a while. I told her that, even if I felt honoured, I wasn't in a good place emotionally to accept such commitment."

Maggie knows she should say something like " _way to go, Danvers"_ and congratulate her on the success she's having with the ladies, make the situation less awkward somehow, but Alex is staring at her with those sad, beautiful eyes, and any word she could have said gets forgotten.

* * *

The invitation for the infamous Danvers Game Night comes a few days later.

It's late night and Maggie is slouched on her couch watching a really bad movie, with a blanket around her and a beer in her hand, while texting Alex about it, until the agent drops the bomb.

 _ **Danvers:**_ _Almost forgot… I wanted to ask you something._

 _I'm not going to give you The Talk, Danvers. You have Google for that._ She joked.

 _ **Danvers:**_ _I'm resourceful enough on my own on that front, but thanks._

Maggie has to read the text twice because she wasn't expecting that answer at all. She almost doesn't register the following text when it comes.

 _ **Danvers:**_ _It's about Friday, actually. Got any plans?_

 _Not that I know of. Why?_

 _ **Danvers:**_ _It's Game Night at Kara's, and since Mike joined the list of suitors for my sister's heart it feels kind of awkward to be in the same room with them all night._

 _And you want me to give you an excuse to flee?_

 _ **Danvers:**_ _No._

 _ **Danvers:**_ _I want you to come._

Maggie is grateful that there's wasn't any beer in her mouth because she would have spilled it all over herself. She knows that Alex is talking about game night, but her mind takes a long second to process that information, and then it's too late and she can't get the picture of the other woman saying that in a _very_ different situation.

She can feel her whole face getting on fire and Maggie is really, _really_ glad that they're having this conversation over the phone and not in person.

 _Would Kara approve of my presence?_ She sends a minute later, once she's gone over the initial shock.

 _ **Danvers:**_ _She's actually the one who suggested it. Says we need another girl. For balance._

 _I don't know, Danvers…_

 _Does she still feel the urge to avenge you?_

 _ **Danvers:**_ _You'll be fine._

 _ **Danvers:**_ _Well…, as long as you stay away from her food._

 _Got it._

 _ **Danvers:**_ _You know the address, right? See you Friday?_

 _Friday it is._

 _ **Danvers:**_ _;D_

Maggie stares at the smiley and can't help the grin in her face.

* * *

She's been staring at the white door for a while now, unable to make the last move and knock. The last time she had been in that same position, the night had ended pretty well, so there's nothing to make her believe that tonight would be different. She just needs to find the courage to knock on that damn door.

Maggie takes a deep breath, raises her hand, and before she can touch the white wood the door is opening.

"Detective Sawyer," Kara greets her.

"How…?"

"This door is very thin and you've been pacing in my hallway for almost ten minutes."

"Sorry, I…" Maggie takes a moment to collect herself after the surprise, "You have to understand that this is big for me. Things with your sister are still pretty fresh, and you and I didn't start on a good note, and I'm not… I'm not used to be…"

"Maggie," Kara's voice is kind this time, understanding. She's looking at her with a genuine smile this time, "I asked Alex to invite you. That means you're okay on my book."

"As long as you don't touch her potstickers," Says Alex appearing at her sister's side and poking her shoulder, "I wasn't kidding about that. Come on, pizza is getting cold."

At that, Kara makes a sudden turn and starts marching towards the kitchen.

"Food is _really_ important to her," Alex lets the detective get inside and closes the door behind them.

"I can see that."

"Everything okay? She wasn't rude again, right?"

Alex is staring at her with concern in her eyes.

"No, she was nice, I promise."

"What's wrong then?"

"I was…, I _am_ a bit anxious. I'm not used to being included in this kind of things, and I'm not really a social person. Getting a few beers at the bar, that I can handle. But this is your ground, your people."

"Well, you'll have to get used to it," Alex is smiling now and there's a spark in her eyes that she's never seen before, something mischievous and a little childish, "Once you join Game Night, you are family. There's no escape from those dorks."

Maggie feels a bit lighter now, more at ease. Winn and James welcome her, and Mike introduces himself. She can see now why Alex didn't want to spend the night watching those three overgrown children fight for her sister's attention. Without luck, though, because Kara's main focus of the night is Alex. Maggie wonders if it's always like this, little Danvers always next to her sister, supporting her with smiles and tender touches, or if it's only because this woman who has broken the heart of the most important person in her world is now sitting in her couch.

Either way, she's glad Alex has someone in her life that would turn the world upside down just to make her happy. Maggie envies that.

Pizza is almost gone and they're on their second round of Taboo when there's a knock on the door.

"Are we expecting someone else?" Asks Alex while her sister stands from the couch and goes to see who's at the door.

"Maybe," Is James cryptic answer.

Then Kara is shouting an excited _Oh my God!_ And everyone is standing and trying to see who's the new arrival.

"Lucy!"

Kara is now hugging this Lucy person and everyone seems to relax. No threat then.

"Easy there, little Danvers, hugging is nice until you break one of my ribs."

"Sorry! I'm just so happy!" Kara takes the newcomer's hand and drags her towards the living room, "Guys! Lucy is back! When did you get back? We could have picked you up or something."

"I wanted to surprise you. I just dropped my things at the hotel and asked James if you were getting together for game night."

"James is a sneaky rat," Comments Alex.

"Agent Danvers," The newcomer greets Alex coldly, completely different to how she was holding Kara just a minute ago.

"Major Lane."

"I hope everything has been under control while I've been away?"

"Perfectly fine. You were not missed."

Maggie is completely lost. For starters, she's never seen Alex act so coldly towards someone. Angry? Yes. But this was ice cold levels of indifference.

But now Lucy is giving her a thousand watts smile, and Maggie definitely doesn't understand anything of what is happening.

"Liar," The girl says, and launches herself into Alex, who receives her with open arms, "I know you missed me the most."

"You have no way to prove that."

Clearing her throat, Maggie tries to catch their attention. She needs answers and, why not admit it, she may be a little bit annoyed by the fact that Alex suddenly seems to only have eyes for _Lucy._

"Oh, right!" Alex finally gets out of her Lucy bubble and remembers that Maggie is there, "Sorry. Lucy, this is NCPD detective Maggie Sawyer, she's been helping the DEO with a few cases."

"Is that an official arrangement?"

"I'm still waiting for my honorary badge," Maggie replies, "But Director Green seems to think that I haven't earned it yet."

"Oh my God, never let J'onn hear you call him that." Lucy laughs and extends her hand to shake Maggie's. "Major Lucy Lane, by the way. Co-Director of the DEO."

That was something that Maggie definitely wasn't expecting. She turns to Alex and finds her with an amused expression in her face.

"Any more badass women in your life that I need to know of, Danvers?"

Alex doesn't answer. She just smirks at her and takes Lucy's hand, dragging her friend towards the kitchen with the excuse that they need more wine.

* * *

There's something different after Game Night. She can't put her finger on what it is, but all her bets are on Lucy's presence having to do something with it.

It's not like Alex has changed her attitude towards Maggie or anything. She's still going to the bar to play pool with her, they still text the days they don't see each other, and now that J'onn has finally caved on the badge thing, Maggie can visit her at the DEO whenever she wants, like right now.

It's been a slow day at the precinct and she's been bored as hell. There's a limit to the paperwork your brain can take for a day, and Maggie reached hers an hour ago. She had texted Alex asking if she was free, but after a few unanswered bad jokes and a missed call, Maggie decided it was time for a visit at the office.

She's been there a few times already, but there's still curious eyes following her around every time she sets a foot at the DEO. Seriously, someone should teach those black ops to relax a little.

Maggie spots a familiar face at the control centre. Winn is sitting behind the computer's screen and waves at Maggie when he sees her.

"Hey, Maggie."

"Hey. Have you seen Alex? I've been texting her but she's not answering her phone."

"That's probably because she's been burning some pent up energy for the last…" He looks at her watch, "Whoa, almost two hours."

"Something happened?"

"Nah," He shrugs, "She's been really stressed lately with the government breathing at our necks, you know? And J'onn suggested that she should work on that before she punched someone innocent."

"I can relate to that. So, where should I…?"

"K…Supergirl went looking for her a while ago and she hasn't come back so, Green Room probably. The corridor to the left, last door."

"Thanks."

Maggie is in front of the big door three minutes later. She's already opening it when a loud bang surprises her. But, what she wasn't expecting at all is the sight in front of her.

Supergirl, laying on the floor, and being pinned against the mat by and amused and _sweaty_ Alex.

"You cheated," The hero pouts.

"You know I don't cheat. You're just not focused enough."

"I'm hungry."

"You are always hungry."

"Alien constitution, not my fault."

"Then don't use it as an excuse for being a lazy ass," Retorts Alex.

Unable to hold it, Maggie chuckles a little at the banter between the hero and the agent. She still doesn't understand that relationship, but Alex has assured her that Supergirl is like a sister to her and nothing more, so she tries not to read it as anything else.

"That seemed like fun," Maggie says, finally interrupting.

Finally acknowledging her presence, Alex straightens a little, but doesn't move from her position straddling Supergirl.

"Yeah?" She gestures to herself, "Want to give it a go?"

And there it is again, flirty Danvers to the attack. Lately, she has been seeing more and more of this particular side of her friend, mostly towards other women now that Alex was more comfortable with her new status, and _damn_ if Kara's hadn't been right about her sister being good at it.

For a moment, Maggie wonders if Alex knows what she's doing to her, if she can see in her eyes how many times she has imagined her friend like that, straddling her, pinning her against the mattress of her bed… And now Maggie is pretty sure that her ears are red as a tomato and she doesn't have to wonder anymore because, judging by the knowing glint in Alex's eyes and her growing smirk, she knows damn well what she's doing.

* * *

It's three days before Christmas and she's siting alone at home. She turned off the TV an hour ago and there's a half, cold pizza on the table. Maggie wants to be somewhere else, but she's a coward.

The invite has been a surprise. Apparently, Kara is friends with half of National City's elite and she's been invited, along with her friends, to the opening of a new club in the city, kind of an early Christmas party. Maggie has been included on that list but, afraid of what the sight of Alex Danvers in a dress could do to her and her resolve, she had declined the invitation with some lame excuse about work.

And now she's at home, alone with her misery, and trying to find reasons why she shouldn't dress up, go to that party and kiss Alex Danvers senseless.

 _She's still too new._

 _I'm too messed up._

 _I will break her heart._

 _Or she will break mine._

 _She's my best friend._

 _I can't lose her._

 _I love her._

In the end, there's nothing she can do. She's too far gone.

The whole drive to the club she tries to think how she'll tell Alex but, once she gives her name to the guy at the door and she steps inside, her mind goes completely blank.

It's Kara who finds her first, and her smile is so warm that Maggie feels some of her fears go away.

"Hey! I thought you couldn't come!"

"I finished earlier than I expected and I thought that I could stay for a while."

"That's great. Alex will be so happy that you could make it."

"Where's your sister?"

"Oh, Lena and Lucy dragged her to the dance floor."

"Alex Danvers dances?"

"When she's drunk enough."

Kara laughs at the surprise on Maggie's face and takes her hand to lead her across the crowded floor.

That's not how Maggie imagined the night going. She has expected finding Alex in a corner, bored and nursing a drink, not wasted in a dance floor, and dancing extremely close to another woman.

If surrounding _Lucy_ from behind with her arms and grinding against her can be called dancing.

Maggie feels sick.

* * *

"You are an idiot."

Maggie is pretty sure that she's still sleeping, because there's no way that Alex is at her door at fucking three in the morning, still wearing the dress from the party, and looking furious.

"What are you doing here?"

"What am I doing here? What do you think, Maggie?" She steps into the apartment and throws her purse on the table, "Kara told me you went to the club, but you didn't even said hello, and next thing I know you have already disappeared."

Closing the door, Maggie takes a deep breath and tries not to think about how she almost didn't make it back home before she started crying. How she had felt as a fool watching Alex being so intimate with another woman. How naked she feels now with Alex staring at her with so much anger and despair.

She knows it's time to tell the truth.

"I know I have no right to feel like this," She starts saying, "That I'm the one who told you that you should go out there and find yourself, that you should discover this new part of your life on your own. And I'm not saying that I was wrong telling you that I wanted to be friends, but in the short time I've known you, you've become so much more…"

Alex is silent and Maggie takes it as a signal that she can keep talking.

"You are my best friend, Alex, but I can't pretend anymore that I don't want you to be my everything. I was ready to tell you that tonight."

"And you saw me with Lucy," The anger has disappeared form Alex's eyes and now there's understanding.

"Can you blame me for running away?"

"Not really. I would have done the same."

Alex takes a few steps towards her and, when she's close enough, takes Maggie's hands on her own.

"Lucy is a friend, and also my boss. We were just having fun."

"Why do I feel like there's more than that?"

"Maybe," She agrees, "We share a few things we weren't aware of, and it's been nice to have someone who understands me, but that doesn't mean that she can replace you."

Maggie looks at her joined hands and the raises her eyes to find the other woman looking at her.

"Why are you here, Alex?"

"I told you," Alex hand leave hers and go to gently rest at both sides of Maggie's face. "Because you are an idiot."

"But you love me?" She asks with hope in her voice.

Alex laughs and leans forward to place a chaste kiss on Maggie's lips that ends way too soon.

"That was never the matter, Sawyer," She smiles tenderly, "But yes, I love you, even when you are too stubborn to accept that you love me back."

This time is Maggie who initiates the kiss, and it's nothing but chaste. Alex's hands get tangled in her head and Maggie's arms surround her waist, getting rid of any distance between them. The kiss is slow, deep, it feels like coming home.

Yeah, she's been an idiot.

"By the way," Alex says breaking the kiss, but staying close enough that Maggie can feel the other woman's breath in her lips, "Kara gave me permission to tell you that, if you break my heart again, she will throw you into space."

 _Yes, a monumental idiot._

 _And also completely oblivious._


End file.
